Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics Cut Jobs In Budget Shortfall

Amy Lester, Oklahoma Impact Team

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Leaders of state agencies all across Oklahoma are working with smaller budgets this year.

05/10/2011 Related Story: Proposed Oklahoma Budget Includes Cuts To Education, Public Safety

The Oklahoma Impact Team found out how the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics [OBN] is dealing with a nearly 34 percent cut.

The agency says it will cut three officers to help make up for the loss. Those officers focus on prevention and education in schools and for civic groups.

OBN is also having to readjust its strategy for dealing with prescription drug issues, the increased number of meth labs and problems with Mexican cartels.

The director remains optimistic that the legislature will give him additional funding this year, as the economy turns around.

"We're on the front lines of good versus evil in my opinion and I think we have to keep pressing again, Oklahomans are dying every day with some of these issues we're battling and hopefully we'll have some of those funds restored," said OBN Director R Darrell Weaver.

Some other agencies took an even bigger hit.

The Council on Judicial Complaints will have a 67-percent cut, but a new fee on civil cases should make up for that loss.

The Secretary of State's office will receive no state appropriated dollars with its 100 percent budget cut. They will evaluate all expenditures and may not fill positions when people retire.

Read the proposed budget